TEAM Wales cyclist Elinor Barker battled her way out of the pack to win Commonwealth Games bronze in the women’s 10km scratch race.
It was the second Welsh medal in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome at Glasgow 2014 and Hoy himself presented Barker with her medal afterwards.
Australia’s Annette Edmondson took gold and her compatriot Amy Cure won silver.
Barker finished just ahead of England’s Dani King in a thrilling race to the line involving most of the 20 riders.
Her Welsh teammates Katie Curtis, a late replacement for injured Newport rider Amy Hill, and Amy Roberts finished seventh and 13th respectively.
“I think that was one of the gutsiest rides I’ve ever done,” said Barker after catching her breath.
“When I crossed the line I didn't know if I'd won a medal.
“With two laps to go I was in an absolutely awful position and thought 'Oh no, I'm not going to get to the line', but I just put my head down. It was a kind of crash or win mentality.
“It's pretty cut-throat, so it's amazing we (Team GB riders) can be close friends,” she added. “I think we know where the line is.
“But if I had another 20 metres I could have done better.”
The 19-year-old from Cardiff thanked the noisy Welsh fans in the velodrome for cheering her over the line after the disappointing seventh-place finish in the 3000m individual pursuit on Friday.
“There’s a wall of Welsh which I didn't expect to see,” she said.
“I wasn’t pleased with the way the time events went yesterday. That was a bit of a blow for me but I’m feeling a lot happier now.”
Barker now goes in the points race on the track tomorrow before switching to the road for the time trial on Thursday and the road race on the final day, August 3.
In the men’s sprint B2 tandem final, Welsh pair Matthew Ellis and Ieuan Williams just missed out on their second medal of Glasgow 2014 as they were beaten to bronze by Australian duo Paul Kennedy and Thomas Clarke.
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